Files Preferences Settings

Auto Backup saves your work periodically. In the event of a power failure, if you have not saved your work, you can load in an auto backup (autoback) file from the 3dsmax/autoback directory and continue working with little lost work.

Auto Backup creates auto backup files based on a time interval. The name of an auto backup file is autobakn.mx, where autobak is the main part of the name (autobak is the default), and n is an integer from 1 to 9.

For example, if you've set Auto Backup to create three auto backup files at one-minute intervals, Auto Backup will create autobak1.mx, and then a minute later autobak2.mx, and then autobak3.mx. At the fourth minute, the system overwrites autobak1.mx, and so on.

Enable—Enables Auto Backup.

Number of Autobak Files—Determines how many backup files to write before overwriting the first one. Range=1 to 9.

Backup Interval (minutes)—Determines the number of minutes between backup file generation.

Auto Backup File Name—Lets you enter an alternative name for the auto backup file. Auto backup files with a different name still have the filename extension .mx. Default="Autobak".

The following controls affect the max.log file.

Never Delete Log—Determines how long the log file is maintained. When you choose Never Delete, the max.log file remains on the hard disk and continues to grow.

Maintain Only...Days—Resets the file to zero bytes after it reaches the number of days specified in this field.

Maintain Only... Kbytes—Resets the file to zero bytes after it reaches the number of kilobytes specified in this field.

Errors—Writes fatal errors to the max.log file instead of generating Alert dialogs. Alerts halt network rendering for one or more servers.

Warnings—Writes warning messages to the max.log file instead of generating Alert dialogs.

Info—Writes general information to the max.log file instead of generating Alert dialogs.

Debug—Writes debug messages to the max.log file instead of generating Alert dialogs.

The type of errors covered by these four categories include maps that can't be found, missing UV coordinates, missing output directories, full disks, missing DLLs, disks to which you don't have access, invalid meshes, and obsolete MAX files

Zoom Extents on Import—Zooms all viewports to scene extents after importing a file. If this is turned off, zoom extents isn't performed.

Program—Specifies the name and location of the program to use for archiving. The program must be independently installed on your system. You can add command-line arguments to follow the executable file name. For example, for the PKZIP program, the arguments might be:

project1.zip c:proj0?.max -o

Creates a backup file if a file of the same name already exists. The existing file is renamed "maxback.bak" and placed in the 3dsmax/autoback directory before the save occurs. The automatic backup settings are edited in the Auto Backup group.

Increment on Save—Creates a new copy of the file in the same directory whenever you save the file. The name of the new file is incremented by 1 (filename01.max, filename02.max, and so on).

Compress on Save—Saves the 3ds max file in a compressed format. Depending on the details of the file, the compressed file can be as small as 1/5^th the size of its uncompressed equivalent.

You can determine whether a 3ds max file is compressed or not by bringing up Properties for the file in Windows Explorer. On the Contents panel, under General, you'll see whether the file is compressed or uncompressed. For versions of MAX files prior to version 3, no information is listed on the Contents panel, which indicates the file is uncompressed.

Versions prior to version 3 of 3ds max can't read compressed MAX files.

Save Viewport Thumbnail Image—Saves a 64-pixel thumbnail of the active viewport when you save each MAX file. The Asset Browser reads thumbnails. Saving thumbnails adds about 9K to each MAX file. Default=on.

Note: Turning this off can reduce file loading/saving time.

Save Schematic View—Saves the Schematic View of the scene. Default=on.

Note: Turning off Save Schematic View can reduce file loading/saving time, as well as the size of the saved scene.

Display Obsolete File Message—Turns off the “Obsolete data format found - Please resave file” alert that is displayed when you load a MAX file created in a version earlier than 3ds max 4.

There is a matching “Do not display this message” check box in the alert itself; you can also turn off the alert from there.

Reload textures on change—When on, bitmaps are reloaded whenever they have been changed and resaved by a graphics editing program. When off, they are not reloaded. Default=on.

Tip: When Reload Textures On Change is off, for bitmaps used as texture maps, you can still use the Reload button on the Bitmap Parameters rollout.

Recent Files in Files Menu—Specifies the number of recently opened files to display at the bottom of the File menu. Range=0 to 9